Folding crate.



A. 0. HUBBARD.

FOLDING CRATE.

APPLICATION IILED AUG.16, 1909.

1,1 13,636 Patented Oct. 13, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

' fww THE NORRIS PETERS CO., PHO7D-LITHQ, WASHINGTON, D. C,

A. 0. HUBBARD.

FOLDING CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 16, 1909.

1,113,636. Patented 0ct.13,1914.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

B) I t ZifidPA/Z THE NORRIS PETERS CO PHOm-LITHQ, WASHINGTON, D4

A. 0. HUBBARD.

FOLDING CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 16, 1909.

Patented Oct. 13, 1914.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

W/Z/VEJ ES UNITED strATEs PATENT QFFICE- ARTHUR HUBBARD, M N OLIS, MrNnnsorA, .ASSIGNOR r0 rurrnn .HUBBARD MFG. 00., OEMINNEAPOLIS,1MINNESOTAQ roLnING CRATE.

To all whom it may concern: 1 1 1 Be it knownthat I, ARTHUR O.HUBBARD,- of Minneapolis, I-Iennepin county, Minnesota, have invented certainnew and (useful Improvements in Folding'Crates, ofiwhich the following is a specification. I y

The object of my invention is toprovide a crate or box that is capable of being folded compactly for convenience .in ship ping. 1

A further object is to simplifythe hinges, by means of which the panels of the box are united. Other objects of the invention will appea from the following detailed description. My invention consists generally invarious constructions and combinations, all as hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claim. I p 111 the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a crate, embodying my invention, Fig. 2 is an edge view of the crate in its folded position, Fig. 3 isa horizontal, sectional View, showing the construction and arrangement of the hinges, Fig. 41 is a trans verse, sectional View, illustrating the manner of pivoting the bottom in the crate, Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line zvw of Fig. 3, Fig. 6 is a perspective view, showing the application of the hingesof Fig. 1 to a box having closed walls, Fig. 7 is a perspective view, showing a cover forthe box with an improved locking device, Fig, 8

is a detail view of one ofthe hinges for the cover. v

In the drawing, 2 and 3 represent respectively the end and side panels of the crate, composed preferably of top and bottom rails 1, 5, 6 and 7, between which vertically. arranged slats 8 are provided havingtheir ends fitting within rabbets 9 formed on the inner edges of the top and bottom railsof the panels and secured thereto by staples 10. Instead of spacing these slats apart to form a crate, they may be arranged close together to form a box and theslats'may be made of varying width, according to the material at hand. At diagonally opposite corners of the crate and forming a continuation of the end panels, I provide upright posts 11, fitting within rabbets12 in the top and bottom rails of the side panelsand secured thereto and contacting when the box is opened with the rounded ends 13 of Specification of Letters Patent. Patented 0 1; Application filed August 16, 1909. Se1'ia1 N'o.513,184

the rails l. audit) of the endpanels and at ,taohed to these railslby means of, metal brackets 14, which are secured to the posts and are pivotallyconnected 'wi-th the -.rails 1 and 5 by pivot pins 15. These brackets, when'the crate is-folded, causethe panels to be heldaapart in parallel relation with'one another asufii cient distancemto receive the bottom 1 6,which is hinged at 17 toone of theside panels and is adapted tobe swung to a vertical position" when'the crate is folded. The brackets 14 are arranged at.

diagonally oppositev corners of the box and at the other cornersthe top rails at the sides and ends have beveled meeting faces 18 and shoulders and notches 19 and 20, which interlock when the crate is opened and form a close joint and brace and strengthen the corners of the box. .The lower rails have beveled meeting faces 21. At the corners of the crate provided with these interlocking beveled faces, I provide a form of hinge, whichI regard as the essentialfeature of my present invention, on account of its sim: plicity, ease ofapplication and durability.

Each hinge consists of a wireloo'p portion 22 having its ends clenched in one of the rails and provided with an eye 23 that is adapted to receive ahook 249 that is formed on the end of the other hinge section 25 that is clenched in a corresponding manner in the abutting rail. The eye portion of the hinge section'22 is bentslightly out of the plane of the rest of the section to permit the unobstructed movement of the abutting ends of the rails, allowingthem to swing into alinement with one another when. the crate is closed or folded and assume a position at right. angles to one another when the joint is'closed between them when the crate is open. These hinges are made of sultable gage of wire and for a crate of this kind, will form 'a substantial, durable cons carried by a strap 35 and adapted to enter a recess 36 in a clip 37 that is secured to the side Wall of the box. This recess has a narrow throat88 and an enlarged rear portion, so that some pressure Willbe required to force the loop through the throat andpre- I vent it from becoming accidentally separated from the recess. .7 The rear of the reeess is sufliciently large to allow the loop to move freely therein and at the same time,

hold the cover securely in its closed position. This form of lock is extremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture, can be easily and qui'cklyattached to the box, without 7 adding materially to the expense of 1nanurails, posts provided at the two diagonally I opposite corners and in the plane of said end panels and secured to the rails of said side panels, angle plates secured to said posts in the angles formed by the intersection of said posts and the top and bottom rails of the end panels and pivotally connected with said top and bottom rails, hinges provided at the other diagonally 0pposite corners of the crate, a bottom hinged to one of said side panels and adapted to swing to a vertical position between the panels and into the space formed by said posts and brackets between the end and side panels, substantially as described.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 9th day of July, 1909.

V ARTHUR O. HUBBARD.

Witnesses: l

J. M. SULLIVAN, J. A. BYINGTON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

e Washington, D. 0. 

